When the UK left the EU in January 2020, we saw many food and drink companies – particularly those who were relatively new to selling overseas – bypass Europe completely and head straight for other regions like the Middle East, US and Asia. Meanwhile, the EU got deposited in the ‘too difficult to do’ box.

It is also well documented how exporters who did persist, faced huge challenges and it is only through sheer determination, perseverance and, in some cases, a total redesign of their supply chain, that they managed to preserve their business.

Fast forward to 2025 and even well ahead of the May UK-EU reset and SPS agreement announcement, we had been witnessing plenty of positive signs that the EU is back on the radar of an increasing number of exporters.

Signs of return to EU trade:

  • Companies choosing to target more far-flung territories have discovered that they can be logistically complex, heavily regulated, and difficult to manage from a distance, especially if you lack export experience.
  • Many members indicated EU countries are focus territories for this year in our 2025 Export Market Survey, with Germany in the top 4 and around 25% of respondents looking for support to enter or build business in the Nordics.
  • This was also echoed in a broader industry survey carried out by Johnston Carmichael – one of our professional associate members – which showed that Europe is outperforming both the UK and other global regions in terms of priority markets for food and drink companies.
  • More brands are asking us for bespoke market entry and development support in EU countries, either to identify the strongest opportunities or to rebuild and grow pre-existing sales.
  • We are seeing increased buyer demand for British brands, with European distributors proactively contacting us for new products to add to their portfolios.

Results from FDEA survey

So, building on these positive indicators, we polled our members on their sentiments around trading with EU 5 years on from Brexit, and also canvassed opinion the amongst our EU distributor community to take the temperature on both sides of the Channel.

What’s appealing about EU-UK trade?

We asked UK exporters what are the main attractions of trading with EU markets in 2025?

Over a third of respondents* feel ‘geographic proximity’ is the number one draw because it’s relatively easy to understand the market dynamics, visit and manage customers and in general speed and cost of transport is favourable.

In addition, nearly 30% feel retailers and foodservice operators are receptive to UK products and almost one quarter are experiencing positive consumer attitudes to British food & drink.

Conversely, when we asked EU distributors what are the main attractions of buying UK products and working with British Suppliers, geographic proximity is of negligible importance as they can buy from so many other neighbouring nations. It is the ‘quality of products and packaging’ which is their main driver, closely followed by ‘local customers/consumers specifically seeking UK brands’.

These responses chime with what we have been witnessing in recent months. The EU is still our major export partner, offering access to circa 440 million relatively affluent consumers on our doorstep. For companies still giving the region over the wide berth, they offer some encouragement that not only is the region highly accessible from a practical point of view, but also that there is strong appetite for British products among both buyers and consumers.

Main challenges of trade with EU?

We then polled UK exporters on the main challenges associated with targeting – or trading with – EU markets, unsurprisingly, ‘red tape’ (customs, VAT, paperwork) is still the number one issue, followed by ‘logistics and supply chain hurdles’ (sending samples, border delays, groupage).

EU distributors who were asked the same question about trading with the UK in 2025 cited similar issues with ‘complexity of logistics and supply chain’ tying with ‘uncompetitive pricing’ in first place for nearly a third of respondents.*

Whilst the recent SPS agreement announcement offers hope that complexity and costs will reduce, details and timelines remain unclear. In the interim, our network supply chain experts recommend ensuring you fully understand the requirements for each country – easier to do now than in 2020 – and prepare well ahead of time in conjunction with your logistics service provider to avoid unnecessary delays

Likelihood of future trade?

When we asked UK exporters how likely they are to export to the EU in the next 5 years and why, almost all 100% of respondents are either ‘very likely’ or ‘quite likely’ to do so. Again, ‘geographic proximity’ is a key driver, plus the region offers the biggest global opportunities and some exporters feel that now they have pushed through so many pain points, they have a strong springboard from which to move forward with new or pre-existing customers

Meanwhile, we found that nearly 80% of EU distributors are either ‘very likely or ‘quite likely’ to look for UK suppliers in the coming years – principally because of the innovation and quality of British food and drink, along with a desire to rekindle strong relationships which existed pre-Brexit.

We also asked distributors which main sources they plan to use to find new UK suppliers: Trade Shows such as Anuga, SIAL, ISM are the preferred vehicle for over 40% of respondents*, ahead of recommendations from existing UK suppliers and trade missions.

Biggest lessons?

Finally, we asked our FDEA community to share the biggest lesson Brexit has taught them about exporting? The responses offer sound general advice for UK food and drink exporters, including:

  • Export is a constant learning curve – Brexit is just one of many and continuous challenges you encounter as you expand overseas, but one which can be overcome.
  • Being well-informed, adaptable and proactive in managing these inevitable hurdles is key to success.
  • Don’t struggle on your own – there is a wealth of support here at the FDEA – from peers, our in-market partners and international trade experts. Leverage your network, focus on what you do best, i.e., manufacturing and selling your products – and outsource the rest!

So happily, the survey findings build firmly on the green shoots of optimism we have been witnessing in recent months and, along with the SPS agreement, will hopefully demonstrate to companies that the time is right to put the EU on – or back on – the export map!

*Respondents could choose multiple answers for these questions.